Hester Dart

Hester Dart is a South London based singer with a low, unbroken voice. They graduated with an MMus distinction from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2023, where they were the recipient of the Linda Hirst Award for excellence in contemporary music. An archive of their final recital, entitled Filth, can be found here.

Hester made their debut on the alternative opera stage at the 2019 Grimeborn Festival, in Verity Lane’s The Crane. In January 2022 they created the role of Elem in Edward Jessen’s sonic theatre work, Syllable. In summer 2021 and 2022 Hester was generously awarded bursaries to study with Juliet Fraser and members of House of Bedlam at Dartington Summer School, where they explored contemporary vocal technique and collaborative composition. Hester is an avid participant in the creation of new work, collaborating with various composers including Georgia Barnes, Josh Kaye and Nneka Cummins. Currently they are working with Rufus Isabel Elliot on a new commission that will premiere at Snape Maltings on 17th August 2024.

Hester is a founding member of The Ruffians, a new music collective with a taste for the experimental and the absurd. Since their launch in April 2023, The Ruffians have been busy with performances (Queens House Greenwich, Blackheath Halls, The Famous Cock Islington), a number of commissions (CN Lester, Guy Harries, Rebecca Galian Castello) and a summer residency in which they began devising and developing a conceptual piece. They were the recipients of an honorary mention at the 2023 Gladys Puttick memorial prize for improvisation, and continue to receive coaching on improvisation from Douglas Finch.

Hester is also a member or Vox Urbane, a vocal ensemble led by Helen Meyerhoff and Dan Ludford-Thomas, which launched in April 2023.

Hester is excited to be joining the inaugural 2023-24 VOICEBOX programme, delivered by Juliet Fraser in partnership with Britten Pears Arts; City, University of London; Sound Festival and Dartington Music Summer School.